Friends of the Arava Institute is the U.S.-based external fundraising arm of the Israel-based Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. The organization coordinates activities and funding with Jewish National Fund-USA.

Background

Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is an environmental studies and research institute located in Israel’s Arava Valley. In partnership with Ben Gurion University, the institute offers a variety of environmental science and policy courses, including classes on the “climate crisis” and the need to transition the Middle East from conventional energy to weather-dependent energy sources. The institute also offers courses on mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ¹

Friends of the Arava Institute was founded in the United States as an external support mechanism for the institute. Its board includes individuals from across the United States and Canada and it is responsible for funding a major portion of the Arava Institute’s core operating budget. ²

Friends of the Arava Institute vice chair Karen Schapiro is an advisor for the Brico Fund, a left-leaning grant making organization in Wisconsin. Schapiro is also executive director of Milwaukee Riverkeeper and a board member of the Wisconsin Branch of the Jewish National Fund-USA, another major donor to the Arava Institute. ^{3 4 5}

President Michael Marcus also sits on the board of the Jewish National Fund-USA Mountain States branch. ⁶ Board member and secretary David Arfin is owner of Carlyle Group-backed Nine Dot Energy, a weather-dependent energy company and government contractor. ⁷

Activities

Friends of the Arava Institute generates revenue through public awareness campaigns, student recruitment, and fundraising events. The organization hosts virtual presentations with mini-lectures from Arava Institute faculty and panel discussions with public officials and prominent environmentalists. In 2021, Friends of the Arava Institute hosted a presentation from Arava Institute executive director Tareq Abu Hamed and then-Boston city councilor Michelle Wu (D) titled “Climate Change and Environmental Justice.” ⁸

The organization also hosted a virtual gala in 2021 hosted by actor Mandy Patinkin and featuring comments from actress Sarah Silverman. ⁹  Friends of the Arava Institute also organizes fundraising bicycle rides across the United Stated in partnership with Jewish National Fund-USA. ^{10 11}

Funding

Friends of the Arava Institute reported $2.2 million in revenue in 2020, the vast majority coming from non-government contributions. The organization reported $1.9 million in program expenses with $1.13 million in grants. The organization transferred $1 million to the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, $100,231 to Jewish National Fund for supporting the Arava Institute, and $27,509 of net proceeds from the Israel Ride bicycling fundraiser program to Hazon. ¹²

Friends of the Arava Institute reported spending $739,053 on salaries and other compensation. The only reported officer compensation was to executive director Miriam May in the amount of $219,363. ¹³

1. “Semester Course List.” Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://arava.org/academics/student-resources/semester-course-list/.
2.  “History & Mission.” Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://arava.org/about-our-community/about-fai/missionhistory/.
3. “Wisconsin Leaders.” Jewish National Fund. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://www.jnf.org/menu1/board-of-directors/wisconsin-leaders.
4. “Karen Schapiro.” Linked In. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-schapiro-684a6b16.
5. “Board of Trustees.” Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://arava.org/about-our-community/about-fai/board/.
6. “Mountain States Leaders.” Jewish National Fund. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://www.jnf.org/menu1/board-of-directors/mountain-states-leaders.
7. Arfin, David. “How to Put Viable Climate Solutions into the Hands of the People.” The Jewish News of California. January 13, 2022. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://jweekly.com/2022/01/13/how-to-put-viable-climate-solutions-into-the-hands-of-the-people/.
8. “Recent Events.” Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://arava.org/recent-events/.
9. “Recent Events.” Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://arava.org/recent-events/.
10. Golub, Rob. “June 23 Fox Point Bike Ride on a Path to Israel, Environmentalism and Coexistence.” Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, July 1, 2019. https://www.jewishchronicle.org/2019/06/04/june-23-fox-point-bike-ride-on-a-path-to-israel-environmentalism-and-coexistence/.
11. “The Israel Ride Is Coming to Denver, Co!” Israel Ride. Accessed March 14, 2023. https://www.israelride.org/event/denver-co-israel-ride-info-session/.
12. Friends of the Arava Institute LTD. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020.
13. Friends of the Arava Institute LTD. Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990). 2020